Hunger For Self-Determination Becomes a Major Issue for Defense

Like politics and geography, politics and history, politics and ethnicity, politics and religion, politics and oil, the two subjects of politics and defense are inextricably intertwined.

Accordingly the natural drive across the globe towards the self-determination and emancipation of peoples is proving an uncomfortable fact-of-life in the modern era for large and powerful countries. Regional aspirations and expectations are higher than ever before.

However, this trend should come as no surprise, and it can have profound defense implications for a region, a continent and even the World.

We look at such examples as the break-up of Yugoslavia, the increasing demands for autonomy of the constituent races of China and Russia, the hopes of an independent Tibet and Kurdistan, and even self-government for Scotland and Wales. So many regions are striving to win and defend their independence.

Now if the bigger, conglomerate countries would accept the reality and logic of the situation and concede some of their territory, empires and influence, this would lead to a more settled and peaceful world order. If not, the major powers should be under no illusion that a bloody struggle to achieve self-determination and democratic choice can go on for generations as a running sore that will never heal, irretrievably damaging their reputation, image and relations with the international community.

Fortunately Western Europe has now matured and got its internal wars behind it at great cost, but elsewhere, in the so-called underdeveloped countries, future strife seems bound to follow where long-term disputes exist with a government remote in miles and in an understanding of people’s local needs.